Blue Jays RHP Marcus Stroman has right shoulder inflammation

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman gestures at the end of his live batting practice session on Wednesday February 21, 2018. Stroman's spring training debut has been delayed due to right shoulder inflammation. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

"I know that I'll be back hopefully the very beginning of the season," Stroman said Tuesday.

Stroman said the MRI exam showed the shoulder is structurally fine.

"Super clean, so I was happy with that," Stroman said. "Just a bit of inflammation. It's some thing that I could probably get through if I needed to get through it. This is some thing that I rather deal with now, get it out now rather than some thing that lingers throughout the year."

Stroman went 13-9 with a 3.09 ERA last year. He struck out 164, two shy of his career high, and walked 62 in 201 innings.

The 26-year-old Stroman is eligible for free agency after the 2020 season. He is open to negotiating a multiyear contract.

The Blue Jays fell 9-8 to the New York Yankees Tuesday in Grapefruit League play in Dunedin. Marco Estrada threw one scoreless inning in his spring training debut and Jason Leblebijian led the offence with two runs batted in.

The Yankees scored five runs, three of them earned, in the eighth inning off Toronto pitching prospect Sean Reid-Foley.